diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
index 94c4eec041..c2ebd6945c 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup.js
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
      */
     div: null,
 
+    /** 
+     * Property: contentSize 
+     * {<OpenLayers.Size>} the width and height of the content.
+     */
+    contentSize: null,    
+
     /** 
      * Property: size 
      * {<OpenLayers.Size>} the width and height of the popup.
@@ -171,24 +177,26 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
     *               an identifier will be automatically generated. 
     * lonlat - {<OpenLayers.LonLat>}  The position on the map the popup will
     *                                 be shown.
-    * size - {<OpenLayers.Size>}      The size of the popup.
+    * contentSize - {<OpenLayers.Size>}      The size of the content.
     * contentHTML - {String}          The HTML content to display inside the 
     *                                 popup.
     * closeBox - {Boolean}            Whether to display a close box inside
     *                                 the popup.
     * closeBoxCallback - {Function}   Function to be called on closeBox click.
     */
-    initialize:function(id, lonlat, size, contentHTML, closeBox, closeBoxCallback) {
+    initialize:function(id, lonlat, contentSize, contentHTML, closeBox, closeBoxCallback) {
         if (id == null) {
             id = OpenLayers.Util.createUniqueID(this.CLASS_NAME + "_");
         }
 
         this.id = id;
         this.lonlat = lonlat;
-        this.size = (size != null) ? size 
+        
+        this.contentSize = (contentSize != null) ? contentSize 
                                   : new OpenLayers.Size(
                                                    OpenLayers.Popup.WIDTH,
                                                    OpenLayers.Popup.HEIGHT);
+        
         if (contentHTML != null) { 
              this.contentHTML = contentHTML;
         }
@@ -206,7 +214,7 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
                                                     "hidden");
 
         var id = this.div.id + "_contentDiv";
-        this.contentDiv = OpenLayers.Util.createDiv(id, null, this.size.clone(), 
+        this.contentDiv = OpenLayers.Util.createDiv(id, null, this.contentSize.clone(), 
                                                     null, "relative");
         this.contentDiv.className = 'olPopupContent';                                            
         this.groupDiv.appendChild(this.contentDiv);
@@ -298,8 +306,8 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
         }
 
         this.moveTo(px);
-        if (!this.autoSize) {
-            this.setSize(this.size);
+        if (!this.autoSize && !this.size) {
+            this.setSize(this.contentSize);
         }
         this.setBackgroundColor();
         this.setOpacity();
@@ -390,10 +398,8 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
      * size - {<OpenLayers.Size>} the new size of the popup's contents div
      *     (in pixels).
      */
-    setSize:function(size) { 
-        this.size = size; 
-
-        var contentSize = this.size.clone();
+    setSize:function(contentSize) { 
+        this.size = contentSize.clone(); 
         
         // if our contentDiv has a css 'padding' set on it by a stylesheet, we 
         //  must add that to the desired "size". 
@@ -421,8 +427,8 @@ OpenLayers.Popup = OpenLayers.Class({
         // div itself bigger to take its own padding into effect. this makes 
         // me want to shoot someone, but so it goes.
         if (OpenLayers.Util.getBrowserName() == "msie") {
-            contentSize.w += contentDivPadding.left + contentDivPadding.right;
-            contentSize.h += contentDivPadding.bottom + contentDivPadding.top;
+            this.contentSize.w += contentDivPadding.left + contentDivPadding.right;
+            this.contentSize.h += contentDivPadding.bottom + contentDivPadding.top;
         }
 
         if (this.div != null) {
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
index a452b9dc27..432d7c7b0d 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Popup/Anchored.js
@@ -164,12 +164,15 @@ OpenLayers.Popup.Anchored =
      */
     calculateNewPx:function(px) {
         var newPx = px.offset(this.anchor.offset);
+        
+        //use contentSize if size is not already set
+        var size = this.size || this.contentSize;
 
         var top = (this.relativePosition.charAt(0) == 't');
-        newPx.y += (top) ? -this.size.h : this.anchor.size.h;
+        newPx.y += (top) ? -size.h : this.anchor.size.h;
         
         var left = (this.relativePosition.charAt(1) == 'l');
-        newPx.x += (left) ? -this.size.w : this.anchor.size.w;
+        newPx.x += (left) ? -size.w : this.anchor.size.w;
 
         return newPx;   
     },
diff --git a/tests/Popup.html b/tests/Popup.html
index 8f24b4715f..e12f0876eb 100644
--- a/tests/Popup.html
+++ b/tests/Popup.html
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         t.ok(OpenLayers.String.startsWith(popup.id, "OpenLayers.Popup"),
              "valid default popupid");
         var firstID = popup.id;
-        t.ok(popup.size.equals(size), "good default popup.size");
+        t.ok(popup.contentSize.equals(size), "good default popup.size");
         t.eq(popup.contentHTML, "", "good default popup.contentHTML");
         t.eq(popup.backgroundColor, OpenLayers.Popup.COLOR, "good default popup.backgroundColor");
         t.eq(popup.opacity, OpenLayers.Popup.OPACITY, "good default popup.opacity");
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
         t.ok( popup instanceof OpenLayers.Popup, "new OpenLayers.Popup returns Popup object" );
         t.eq(popup.id, id, "popup.id set correctly");
         t.ok(popup.lonlat.equals(ll), "popup.lonlat set correctly");
-        t.ok(popup.size.equals(sz), "popup.size set correctly");
+        t.ok(popup.contentSize.equals(sz), "popup.size set correctly");
         t.eq(popup.contentHTML, content, "contentHTML porpoerty of set correctly");
 
         // test that a browser event is registered on click on popup closebox